conditioning on raw ( water in take)

[FrostyPaws]

I feed dogs raw during keep. I also give them 1oz per lb of weight of water in their feed. 38 lb dog gets 38oz of water. While a dog hanging out on the chain, on raw, will definitely not drink as much as a dog being fed kibble, after a hard workout, he's going to need the extra water as that is what dog's mainly lose during their work out. They lose water. That's not counting the amount of water they lose through waste, through evaporation of just breathing, etc.

OG, you're right in the sense that's why people do that, but the reality is that they're hurting their dog more than helping. When a dog is dehydrated, the first place the extra fluid comes from is the blood. So that makes the blood more viscous, which in turn, makes it harder to pump. So while the consensus thought is less bleeding, it also means less O2 to the muscles as needed, it means slower clotting times. It means less cellular transportation of wastes. Hydration is the number 1 thing a person should worry about when working a dog. If the dog isn't properly hydrated, your dog is behind the 8ball from the start.

I agree with OG. My dogs, in keep, don't have a water bowl. They have the amount of water that is dictated by their weight, and that is all they get. During the last week, I pull off the excess water so they're not wringing wet, but they are plenty hydrated to perform at their optimum level.

[Officially Retired]

I feed dogs raw during keep. I also give them 1oz per lb of weight of water in their feed. 38 lb dog gets 38oz of water.

Do you include the water weight already in their raw food, or are you strictly speaking of additional water weight above and beyond that?

While a dog hanging out on the chain, on raw, will definitely not drink as much as a dog being fed kibble, after a hard workout, he's going to need the extra water as that is what dog's mainly lose during their work out. They lose water. That's not counting the amount of water they lose through waste, through evaporation of just breathing, etc.

Excellent point.

OG, you're right in the sense that's why people do that, but the reality is that they're hurting their dog more than helping. When a dog is dehydrated, the first place the extra fluid comes from is the blood. So that makes the blood more viscous, which in turn, makes it harder to pump. So while the consensus thought is less bleeding, it also means less O2 to the muscles as needed, it means slower clotting times. It means less cellular transportation of wastes. Hydration is the number 1 thing a person should worry about when working a dog. If the dog isn't properly hydrated, your dog is behind the 8ball from the start.

Absolutely.

I agree with OG. My dogs, in keep, don't have a water bowl. They have the amount of water that is dictated by their weight, and that is all they get. During the last week, I pull off the excess water so they're not wringing wet, but they are plenty hydrated to perform at their optimum level.

Again, I am curious if the amount of water "dictated by their weight" is additional water to what's already in their raw feed, or if your regimen includes this water weight?

I agree and totally understand that a worked dog is going to need more water than a dog sitting on the chain ... and I agree that the general rule of thumb for dogs and hydration is 1 ounce of water per pound/day ... but what I am not clear about is how much water a worked dog actually needs ... nor any study that has made this determination.

If a rested dog needs 1oz per lb, then I wonder what the ideal amount of water is for a worked dog, or if all anyone can do is experiment with their own individual animals.

Jack

[FrostyPaws]

Again, I am curious if the amount of water "dictated by their weight" is additional water to what's already in their raw feed, or if your regimen includes this water weight?

I agree and totally understand that a worked dog is going to need more water than a dog sitting on the chain ... and I agree that the general rule of thumb for dogs and hydration is 1 ounce of water per pound/day ... but what I am not clear about is how much water a worked dog actually needs ... nor any study that has made this determination.

If a rested dog needs 1oz per lb, then I wonder what the ideal amount of water is for a worked dog, or if all anyone can do is experiment with their own individual animals.

Jack

Jack, I only add the 1oz per pound when they're being conditioned. If they're just on the chain being dogs, they're allowed to drink whatever water they want freely. Yes, it is additional water. I can't say how much water a rested dog needs.

All I can give you is my input on how I've done this for some years now. What I've read is how much actual water is expended by working sled dogs. They take into account the amount of water lost when working, through excrement, and just through breathing. In a study done by Arleigh Reynolds, whose stuff I've posted here before, a working sled dog needs 2oz of water per lb of body weight. A sedentary house dog loses around 1200mL of water a day. A sprinting dog, such as a sled dog or a greyhound will lose almost 3000mL of water a day from an hour run and everything else. A long distance dog, such as a working sled dog, can lose over 5000mL a day. Those figures can and will fluctuate given the temperature and the intensity the dog works. If it's a cold day, he suggests water intake will increase by 2 for a sprinting dog and by 4 for a long distance endurance dog. Depending on the dog’s exercise intensity, and the environmental temperature and humidity, evaporative water losses may increase 10- to 20-fold during exercise. I will post what he has to say in a separate thread if you'd like so you can read all he has to say.